Generally, the term “computer network” refers to a plurality of interconnected computer systems, such as, for instance, a client-server network. Some computer networks utilize a remote mainframe or host server computer for supporting one or more local client computers connected to the remote computer over the network. From a local computer, users may control or view activity on the remote computer over the network. Control of the remote computer may be accomplished through a process called console redirection.
Typically, console redirection involves sending all of the video text data stored in the video buffer of the remote computer to the local computer. Often, however, normal console redirection is inefficient as successive screens of video text data may only represent a few changed lines of text per screen. Thus, the communication between the remote computer and the local computer often includes previously sent video text data. As a result, the time required for sending a screen with only a few changed lines of video text data to the local computer is identical to the time required for sending an entire new screen of video text data resulting in the updating of the video display on the local computer to be unnecessarily slow.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.